I have read &/or listened to more that 5000 books over the last 40 years. In all that time and with all those opportunities I have not finished only one title - until this book. For only the 2nd time in 40 years I did not finish a book that I had started. Believe me when I declare that I have had the urge to quit several other times, but managed to perservere. However, I just could not justify wasting any more time on a volume that provided no enjoyment or satisfaction. Actually, I did get some satisfaction by stopping the audio player. The producer's hype was terrific. The presenter did a very good job. The subject matter was geared to an intelligent 12 year old and left me cold. I wasted a credit and wish that there was some way to return it to Audible like an inedible meal at a restaurant.

I'm still trying to fix the geographic boundaries of the Triune Monarchy on the map (How does one cross from Little Byzantia into Austria without paying the Graustarker border toll, for instance?), but until I have all the kinks worked out of this most Balkan of polities (and let's be honest, that will take a very, very, ... very long time) I suspect I will, from time to time, feel compelled to return to the house at 33 Turkling St. for advice, and one hopes, segars [sic] and coversation over a glass of bull's blood wine!

Avram Davidson conjures up an old yet vibrant empire that is a cutural melting pot of sorts. Filled with humour and wit, the adventures of Dr. Eszterhazy is sure delight any reader with a sense of exploration and magic.

I had high hopes for this, but the ridiculously complex names paired with a narrator who is a bit of a show-off for rapid-fire-reading-without-missing-a-syllable of needlessly complex vocabulary. There wasn't enough vocal distinction between characters to keep track of the story -- if there is a story. I feel vaguely ashamed that I cannot rise to the intellectual nerd club on this one (pout) because I usually take it as a point of pride of being in that club. And not being able to join in huzzahs on this one makes me vaguely ashamed and wondering if the shortcoming is my fault. But this one is just too...

These stories may have been better for me in written form. I'm not sure if it was the narrator the story or what, but I lost track of the plot frequently and had to back up. I am easily distracted, but not usually during a good book. I almost gave 3 stars, but what I did hear I enjoyed so I decided not to rate the book on my ability to pay attention. I think that is because it wasn't so much one of my preferred types of books. Parts of it were just funny, but that isn't usually enough to keep me enthralled.